Traditional heavyweights England, Portugal and Colombia will seek winning starts to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns on Wednesday, while Cristiano Ronaldo begins what is widely expected to be his final attempt to lift football’s most coveted trophy.
Five matches are scheduled across the United States, with England taking on Croatia, Ghana facing Panama, Colombia meeting tournament debutants Uzbekistan, Czechia battling South Africa and Portugal locking horns with DR Congo.
The spotlight is likely to fall on Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to become only the second player after Lionel Messi to feature in six FIFA World Cups. The 41-year-old enters the tournament with virtually every major honour in world football except the World Cup trophy.
Portugal face DR Congo, a side making only its second World Cup appearance and first since competing as Zaire in 1974. While the African nation arrives with momentum after qualifying through the intercontinental playoffs, Portugal’s star-studded squad, featuring Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ronaldo, is expected to have too much quality.
England, meanwhile, begin another campaign carrying the weight of expectation. With Harry Kane leading an attack supported by Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka, Thomas Tuchel’s side is among the favourites to challenge for the title.
Their opening opponents Croatia continue to rely on the experience of Luka Modric, who is appearing in what could be his final World Cup. Croatia’s ability to thrive in major tournaments makes them dangerous opponents, but England’s depth and attacking firepower give them the advantage heading into the Group L encounter.
Elsewhere, Colombia return to the World Cup determined to make up for missing the 2022 edition. Led by veterans James Rodriguez and Luis Diaz, the South Americans face Uzbekistan, who are preparing for a historic first appearance on football’s biggest stage.
Although Uzbekistan have emerged as one of Asia’s fastest-rising football nations, Colombia’s experience and quality at both ends of the pitch are expected to prove decisive.
Another intriguing contest sees Ghana take on Panama in a match that could significantly influence qualification hopes in Group L. Ghana possess greater attacking threat through Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo, while Panama will rely on organisation and defensive discipline to frustrate their opponents.
The day’s most balanced fixture could come in Group A, where Czechia and South Africa meet in a contest with potentially major implications for the race to the knockout rounds. Both sides enter the tournament as outsiders, making a positive result crucial from the outset.
